Tshivenḓa Common Nouns and their Impact on the Dignity of Women: A Sociolinguistic Approach

Tshivenḓa Common Nouns and their Impact on the Dignity of Women: A Sociolinguistic Approach

Mashudu Maṱhabi , Tshinetise David Raphalalani & Avhatakali Jonathan Makhado

Issue: Vol.6 No.14 Article 52 pp. 4107 – 4118
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561452| Published online 30th December, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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ABSTRACT

This paper critically examines how Tshivenḓa common nouns used to label women contribute to social conflict within the Vhavenḓa community. It explores how these nouns operate as linguistic tools that perpetuate gender bias, undermine women’s dignity, and normalise patriarchal dominance in everyday discourse. By analysing the socio-cultural implications of such expressions, the study highlights the role of language in sustaining gender inequality and advocates for more inclusive and respectful linguistic practices within Vhavenḓa society. Adopting a qualitative sociolinguistic approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with rural-based Vhavenḓa women. The data were analysed thematically using Critical Discourse Analysis and Feminist Linguistics. The findings reveal that certain Tshivenḓa common nouns systematically diminish women’s self-esteem and social standing, thereby perpetuating gender inequality both in personal relationships and within the broader community. The everyday use of these nouns operates as a subtle yet powerful mechanism of marginalisation and psychological harm. By foregrounding women’s lived experiences with these expressions, the study contributes to Tshivenḓa lexicography and sociolinguistic scholarship. The findings offer valuable insights for language planning and education in South Africa, underscoring the need for decolonial and feminist linguistic approaches to preserve human dignity in African languages within the digital age.

Keywords: Self-Esteem, Rural-Based Women, Women’s Dignity, Tshivenḓa Common Nouns, Inherent Dignity.

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ABOUT AUTHOR(S)

Mashudu Maṱhabi is a Senior Lecturer specialising in Tshivenḓa in the Department of African Languages, Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education, at the University of Venda. She teaches Tshivenḓa at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels and serves as an external examiner for undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications at several universities in South Africa. Maṱhabi specializes in Tshivenḓa Linguistics, literature and Lexicography. She is currently the Chairperson of the Tshivenḓa National Language Board (TNLB) under the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB).Maṱhabi has an established research profile, with numerous publications in accredited peer-reviewed journals, and has presented papers at both national and international academic conferences. Her scholarly activities also include supervising Masters and Doctoral (PhD) candidates, through which she contributes meaningfully to postgraduate research development and capacity building in African languages, with particular emphasis on Tshivenḓa.

Tshinetise David Raphalalani is a Senior Lecturer in Tshivenḓa within the Department of African Languages, part of the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education at the University of Venda. He teaches Tshivenḓa in both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Additionally, he serves as an external examiner for postgraduate programs at the University of Limpopo, the University of Johannesburg, and the University of South Africa (UNISA). Raphalalani has published extensively in several peer-reviewed academic journals and has presented research papers at both national and international conferences. His academic experience includes supervising Master’s and Doctoral (PhD) students, which contributes significantly to research development and postgraduate training in African languages, particularly Tshivenḓa.

Avhatakali Jonathan Makhado is a lecturer within the Department of African Languages, under the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education at the University of Venda. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Tshivenḓa. His main interest in the language is found in Phonetics, Phonology, Syntax, Semantics and Traditional Literature. He teaches Tshivenḓa in both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. He is the author of several articles and presented in some conferences. Furthermore, his academic experience includes supervising Master’s and Doctoral (PhD) students.

TO CITE ARTICLE

Maṱhabi, Mashudu, Tshinetise David Raphalalani & Avhatakali Jonathan Makhado “Tshivenḓa Common Nouns and their Impact on the Dignity of Women: A Sociolinguistic Approach” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no. 14 (2025): 4107 – 4118, https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561452